Jul 29, 2014

NCAA Reaches Settlement in Concussions Lawsuit

The NCAA has reached a preliminary settlement in a class-action lawsuit over concussions brought by former college athletes. As previously reported by CBSSports.com’s Dennis Dodd, the agreement filed Tuesday calls for the NCAA to provide $70 million for concussion testing and diagnosis of current and former NCAA players to settle several claims.

Unlike the NFL’s proposed $765 million concussion settlement, the NCAA’s proposed agreement covers only diagnostic medical expenses. It preserves college athletes’ rights to sue their universities or the NCAA for personal-injury damages, although some opponents of the settlement say the agreement is not a good one.

The NCAA settlement was filed Tuesday morning in federal court in the Northern District of Illinois. It still requires the approval of Judge John Z. Lee, who held a hearing Tuesday afternoon on the matter without yet issuing a ruling.

The settlement establishes a 50-year medical monitoring program for all current and former college athletes in any sport, with $75 million going toward screening for long-term brain damage and $5 million going to research. The NCAA agreed not to oppose attorneys’ fees up to $15 million out of the $75 million assigned for medical monitoring and research.

The NCAA has reached a preliminary settlement in a class-action lawsuit over concussions brought by former college athletes. As previously reported by CBSSports.com’s Dennis Dodd, the agreement filed Tuesday calls for the NCAA to provide $70 million for concussion testing and diagnosis of current and former NCAA players to settle several claims.

Unlike the NFL’s proposed $765 million concussion settlement, the NCAA’s proposed agreement covers only diagnostic medical expenses. It preserves college athletes’ rights to sue their universities or the NCAA for personal-injury damages, although some opponents of the settlement say the agreement is not a good one.

The NCAA settlement was filed Tuesday morning in federal court in the Northern District of Illinois. It still requires the approval of Judge John Z. Lee, who held a hearing Tuesday afternoon on the matter without yet issuing a ruling.

The settlement establishes a 50-year medical monitoring program for all current and former college athletes in any sport, with $75 million going toward screening for long-term brain damage and $5 million going to research. The NCAA agreed not to oppose attorneys’ fees up to $15 million out of the $75 million assigned for medical monitoring and research.